Emma Kyle (23) said she had accepted her "dream ring", which was taken during a burglary at her workplace last month, was gone forever and had decided to move on.
But on Tuesday she got a call from the police to tell her the ring had been dropped off at the Kaikorai Valley police station.
"Me and my flatmate ... just screamed after [the police] called me. It's just so exciting," the University of Otago law and communications student said.
When the $13,000 ring was taken during the burglary of Velvet Burger's George St office on September 11, the heartbroken bride-to-be, who had taken off the ring while she worked in the restaurant, pleaded with the thief to return it.
Two weeks ago, a 27-year-old man was charged in relation to the burglary, but told police he did not know there was anything of value in the bag, which he said he discarded.
Unable to get insurance because the burgled office was unlocked, Miss Kyle said she would seek full reparation for the items stolen in the burglary, including the ring, her glasses, laptop and an iPod.
On Monday, a brown envelope addressed to the Dunedin police was found in the letterbox at the Kaikorai Valley police station.
Inside the envelope was the ring and an anonymous letter claiming the ring had been found at a dump.
Miss Kyle and her fiancee, JM Corella, were beaming after they picked up the ring from the officer in charge of the case, Constable Karl O'Dowda, yesterday.
It had restored their faith in people that someone had seen fit to return the ring, and they thanked that person, they said.
Miss Kyle was also grateful for the kind words and thoughts of the many people who had helped the couple since the theft.
Friends in the United States had banded together to buy her a new laptop, her parents had bought her new glasses, other students had let her borrow their notes.
She was especially grateful to Const O'Dowda, who had been "amazing", she said.
Last Sunday was the first anniversary of the couple's engagement, and now with this weight off her mind, she could concentrate 100% on her exams, before getting ready for the couple's January wedding.
"And I don't have to buy another ring," Mr Corella joked.
